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house； 'always look people in the face when you open the door； and
do so before you look at their shoes； or you may mistake the heir
of a Prime Minister for a shopkeeper's son。'
I found his worship a jolly； red…faced gentleman； of about fifty…
five； he was dressed in a green coat； white corduroy breeches； and
drab gaiters； and sat on an old…fashioned leather sofa； with two
small； thoroughbred； black English terriers； one on each side of
him。 He had all the appearance of a genuine old English gentleman
who kept good wine in his cellar。
'Sir；' said I； 'I have brought you a thousand pounds'； and I said
this after the servant had retired； and the two terriers had ceased
the barking which is natural to all such dogs at the sight of a
stranger。
And when the magistrate had received the money； and signed and
returned a certain paper which I handed to him； he rubbed his
hands； and looking very benignantly at me； exclaimed …
'And now； young gentleman； that our business is over； perhaps you
can tell me where the fight is to take place？'
'I am sorry； sir；' said I； 'that I can't inform you； but everybody
seems to be anxious about it'； and then I told him what had
occurred to me on the road with the alehouse…keeper。
'I know him；' said his worship； 'he's a tenant of mine； and a good
fellow； somewhat too much in my debt though。 But how is this；
young gentleman； you look as if you had been walking； you did not
come on foot？'
'Yes； sir； I came on foot。'
'On foot！ why it is sixteen miles。'
'I shan't be tired when I have walked back。'
'You can't ride； I suppose？'
'Better than I can walk。'
'Then why do you walk？'
'I have frequently to make journeys connected with my profession；
sometimes I walk； sometimes I ride； just as the whim takes me。'
'Will you take a glass of wine？'
'Yes。'
'That's right； what shall it be？'
'Madeira！'
The magistrate gave a violent slap on his knee； 'I like your
taste；' said he； 'I am fond of a glass of Madeira myself； and can
give you such a one as you will not drink every day； sit down；
young gentleman； you shall have a glass of Madeira； and the best I
have。'
Thereupon he got up； and； followed by his two terriers； walked
slowly out of the room。
I looked round the room； and； seeing nothing which promised me much
amusement； I sat down； and fell again into my former train of
thought。 'What is truth？' said I。
'Here it is；' said the magistrate； returning at the end of a
quarter of an hour； followed by the servant with a tray； 'here's
the true thing； or I am no judge； far less a justice。 It has been
thirty years in my cellar last Christmas。 There；' said he to the
servant； 'put it down； and leave my young friend and me to
ourselves。 Now； what do you think of it？'
'It is very good；' said I。
'Did you ever taste better Madeira？'
'I never before tasted Madeira。'
'Then you ask for a wine without knowing what it is？'
'I ask for it； sir； that I may know what it is。'
'Well； there is logic in that； as Parr would say； you have heard of
Parr？'
'Old Parr？'
'Yes； old Parr； but not that Parr； you mean the English； I the
Greek Parr； as people call him。'
'I don't know him。'
'Perhaps not … rather too young for that； but were you of my age；
you might have cause to know him； coming from where you do。 He
kept school there； I was his first scholar； he flogged Greek into
me till I loved him … and he loved me： he came to see me last
year； and sat in that chair； I honour Parr … he knows much； and is
a sound man。'
'Does he know the truth？'
'Know the truth！ he knows what's good； from an oyster to an ostrich
… he's not only sound； but round。'
'Suppose we drink his health？'
'Thank you； boy： here's Parr's health； and Whiter's。'
'Who is Whiter？'
'Don't you know Whiter？ I thought everybody knew Reverend Whiter
the philologist； though I suppose you scarcely know what that
means。 A man fond of tongues and languages； quite out of your way
… he understands some twenty； what do you say to that？'
'Is he a sound man？'
'Why； as to that； I scarcely know what to say： he has got queer
notions in his head … wrote a book to prove that all words came
originally from the earth … who knows？ Words have roots； and roots
live in the earth； but； upon the whole； I should not call him
altogether a sound man； though he can talk Greek nearly as fast as
Parr。'
'Is he a round man？'
'Ay； boy； rounder than Parr； I'll sing you a song； if you like；
which will let you into his character：…
'Give me the haunch of a buck to eat； and to drink Madeira old；
And a gentle wife to rest with； and in my arms to fold；
An Arabic book to study； a Norfolk cob to ride；
And a house to live in shaded with trees； and near to a river side；
With such good things around me； and blessed with good health
withal；
Though I should live for a hundred years； for death I would not
call。
Here's to Whiter's health … so you know nothing about the fight？'
'No； sir； the truth is； that of late I have been very much occupied
with various matters； otherwise I should； perhaps； have been able
to afford you some information … boxing is a noble art。'
'Can you box？'
'A little。'
'I tell you what； my boy； I honour you； and provided your education
had been a little less limited； I should have been glad to see you
here in company with Parr and Whiter； both can box。 Boxing is； as
you say； a noble art … a truly English art； may I never see the day
when Englishmen shall feel ashamed of it； or blacklegs and
blackguards bring it into disgrace。 I am a magistrate； and； of
course； cannot patronise the thing very openly； yet I sometimes see
a prize fight： I saw the Game Chicken beat Gulley。'
'Did you ever see Big Ben？'
'No； why do you ask？' But here we heard a noise； like that of a
gig driving up to the door； which was immediately succeeded by a
violent knocking and ringing； and after a little time the servant
who had admitted me made his appearance in the room。 'Sir；' said
he； with a certain eagerness of manner； 'here are two gentlemen
waiting to speak to you。'
'Gentlemen waiting to speak to me！ who are they？'
'I don't know； sir；' said the servant； 'but they look like sporting
gentlemen； and … and' … here he hesitated； 'from a word or two they
dropped； I almost think that they come about the fight。'
'About the fight！' said the magistrate。 'No； that can hardly be；
however； you had better show them in。'
Heavy steps were now heard ascending the stairs； and the servant
ushered two men into the apartment。 Again there was a barking； but
louder than that which had been directed against myself； for here
were two intruders； both of them were remarkable…looking men； but
to the foremost of them the most particular notice may well be
accorded： he was a man somewhat under thirty； and nearly six feet
in height。 He was dressed in a blue coat； white corduroy breeches；
fastened below the knee with small golden buttons； on his legs he
wore white lamb's…wool stockings； and on his feet shoes reaching to
the ankles； round his neck was a handkerchief of the blue and
bird's eye pattern； he wore neither whiskers nor moustaches； and
appeared not to delight in hair； that of his head； which was of a
light brown； being closely cropped； the forehead was rather high；
but somewhat narrow； the face neither broad nor sharp； perhaps
rather sharp than broad； the nose was almost delicate； the eyes
were gray； with an expression in which there was sternness blended
with something approaching to feline； his complexion was
exceedingly pale； relieved； however； by certain pock…marks； which
here and there studded his countenance； his form was athletic； but
lean； his arms long。 In the whole appearance of the man there was
a blending of the bluff and the sharp。 You might have supposed him
a bruiser； his dress was that of one in all its minutiae； something
was wanting； however； in his manner … the quietness of the
professional man； he rather looked like one performing the part …
well … very well … but still performing a part。 His companion！ …
there； indeed； was the bruiser … no mistake about him： a tall
massive man； with a broad countenance and a flattened nose； dressed
like a bruiser； but not like a bruiser going into the ring； he wore
white…topped boots； and a loose brown jockey coat。
As the first advanced towards the table； behind which the
magistrate sat； he doffed a white castor from his head； and made
rather a genteel bow； looking at me； who sat somewhat on one side；
he gave a kind of nod of recognition。
'May I request to know who you are； gentlemen？' said the
magistrate。
'S